Activity Example questions: ―Tell me about your studies or job.‖
Choose a lead-in and pointing phrase. Introduce your first point and use a structure
with ―that‖. Add a linking word to introduce a detail about your first point. Now we can
look at the full structure.
(1)
Lead-in phrase
(2)
1
st
pointing phrase
(3)
Point 1
(4)
Linking word/ phrase + detail about point 1
(5)
2
nd
pointing phrase
(6)
Point 2
(7)
Linking word/ phrase + detail about point 2
(8)
3
rd
pointing phrase
(9)
Point 3
(10)
Linking word/ phrase + detail about point 3
Examples of 2
nd
pointing phrases:
Another point which I could add is that...
A second feature which I should mention is that...
As well as that, I could say that...
On top of that I can also add that...
Mat Clark – IELTS Speaking
32
Also, I suppose I should say that...
Examples of 3
rd
pointing phrases:
And I shouldn't forget to mention that...
In addition to what I've just said, I can add that...
Something else that I need to comment on is that...
I guess I could also remark on the fact that...
So a complete response might look something like this:
―Well first of all, the main thing you need to know is that...(point 1)...In fact...(detail
1)...On top of that I can also add that...(point 2)...which means...(detail 2)...Something else
that I need to comment on is that...(point 3)...So actually (detail 3)...‖
Activity Practice saying the full example structure with your own points and details for the
following
questions:
Tell me about the house/ flat you live
in.
Describe your hometown.
Tell me about your job.
Tell me about your family.
Tell me about your city.
What is your main ambition?
What
makes
you
happy?
Mat Clark – IELTS Speaking
33
Now write out your full describing structure using the example phrases. Now
practice using your structure for the questions above.
